FLOODS on a scale that were reckoned to occur only once every 1,000 years brought chaos to parts of Surrey exactly 40 years ago.

FLOODS on a scale that were reckoned to occur only once every 1,000 years brought chaos to parts of Surrey exactly 40 years ago in September 1968.

Heavy rain began to fall on the night of Saturday, September 14, continuing unabated the next day. Guildford was the worst hit place, as water began seeping into homes and premises beside the River Wey near the town centre.

By the Monday (September 16), murky flood water had reached six feet in places, pouring into more homes, businesses and shops (such as Plummers in Millbrook), into St Nicolas’ Church and the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Roads were blocked in and out of the town and a number of stricken householders had to be rescued by boat.

The mopping-up operation began on the Tuesday as the waters began to subside. The worst hit homes were in Walnut Tree Close, Bedford Road and at Riverside in Farnham Road. At the latter, two families, the Blackburns and the Hounshams, lost nearly all their belongings. Mrs Blackburn told a reporter from the Surrey Advertiser: "My husband said 'the river’s coming in'. Before we could do anything we were up to our waists in water."

The store Plummers was badly hit. Opened only a year before, flood water filled the whole of the basement, while the ground floor was flooded to a height of three feet. Guildford fire brigade pumped out five million gallons of water from the basement. Much stock was ruined, including everything in the food hall.

Alderman R. M. Hardy, who owned a men’s outfitters in Friary Street, estimated that he had lost £10,000 of stock – and he was not insured against floods. He was soon selling flood-damaged goods, with shirts being offered at five shillings each.

Nearly £15,000 damage had been done at Court Bros furnishing store on the corner of Millbrook and the High Street. The manger had boated in through a broken window to see furniture and crockery floating about, wallpaper peeling off, rolls of wet carpet and everything covered in a layer of silt.

When water began to lap round the vestry door of St Nicolas’ Church near the Town Bridge, the rector, the Rev W. Goddard, and helpers, moved vestments on to the high altar. However, when it was realised that the water was getting higher, valuable items, including a 17th Century chalice, were taken out to a boat moored by the churchyard wall and ferried to safety. The rector described witnessing a small tidal wave going down the nave.

Early on the Monday morning, staff at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre were able to move scenery from the stage to safety. Then the waters rose and completely covered the stage and about 100 seats in the auditorium. It receded the next day, but much damage had been done.

At the printers Billings, in Walnut Tree Close, all its bound stock, flat sheets and printed white paper had to be thrown out. By the Wednesday afternoon the pile of rubbish outside had grown to about 20 yards long and 10 feet wide.

Next door, at the premises of Franks, Harris & Co, a 300-gallon oil tank burst, spilling is contents into the river.

There was no shortage of willing volunteers who helped with the clear-up operation. These included girls from the Women’s Royal Army Corps Camp at Stoughton, the Red Cross, the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service and local scouts and guides. The town clerk, Herbert Weller, said that the first task was to clean and dry the 150 flooded homes.

Supt J. M. Packham of Guildford police said that the floods became an emergency on the Sunday when it was found that within a short time the main roads to London were blocked. These included the A3 at Send, the A321 at Worplesdon and the A320 at Jacob’s Well. Traffic converged at the AA roundabout at the top of Stoke Park, and although there was floodwater there, the road was passable, but it was very congested.

The police had several calls to evacuate people from houses along the River Wey. They were rescued in police and army inflatable dinghies and taken to Sandfield Terrace Drill Hall, where at one time 250 people were accommodated.

At his home in Guildford, amateur meteorologist Dennis Mullen recorded 3.75 inches of rain on the Sunday. A water board spokesman said that statistically the scale of the flood could only happen once in 1,000 years.

A fund was set up to help those who had suffered and the mayor urged people who had not been affected to contribute.

The High Street was closed to through traffic on the Sunday night and the Monday, when the flood water was at its highest. However, it was strange to see people still pressing the button on the pedestrian crossings and waiting until the sign indicated it was safe to cross!

The manager of the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Gordon Marshall, claimed he was the only person held up in a rowing boat by the pedestrian crossing in Millbrook!

This article is from the book Guildford: Remember When, by David Rose and Bernard Parke. Published by Breedon Books of Derby in 2007 and available now from local bookshops.

Were you in Surrey when the flooding happened? We would like to hear from you. Please submit your comments below.

The Surrey Advertiser, News & Mail and Staines Informer are part of Trinity Mirror Southern, offering you unique access to our audience across the region online and in print.

We reach an average of 599,113* unique users a month with dedicated coverage of Guildford, Woking, Esher, Staines and the whole of Surrey

80% of our visitors**, who view an average of 2,616,228* page impressions every month, are in the desirable ABC1 socio-economic groups.

To book an advert with the our advertising team, call 01483 508700 or visit the Trinity Mirror Southern website trinitymirrorsouthern.co.uk for more information.trinitymirrorsouthern.co.uk for more information.

We are part of Trinity Mirror Southern, offering you unique access to our audience across the region online and in print..

She has been editorial director of the online and print titles in Surrey and north-east Hampshire since 2007. Marnie previously worked at the BBC as a producer for 5 Live, having moved to national radio from BBC Sussex and Surrey.